JL - That's great you are able to switch to a midwife! I have had a midwife with both of my pregnancies (different one each time), and I have been very happy in general with all of my care.

AFM, one of my b**bs has been painful lately and I think it feels different (more dense, firm, but also more lumpy). So, I brought it up last week with my midwife, and she did an exam and agreed that it felt more dense (especially compared to the other one). So, she scheduled me to have a bre*st ultrasound and also meet with a surgeon so that they can review the ultrasound results and do their own exam. I am really glad she is being very thorough, but I am having a hard time not worrying about it. Both appointments will happen this week, so I am hoping that I have some good news by Friday. I have been googling a lot (I know, I know), and it seems like it could be a few different things (including cancer). I wish I wasn't such a worry wort, because I often find myself worrying about a variety of worst case scenarios.

I know it's hard not to worry about any breast changes, memes, but how you've described it practically screams hormonal cysts so try to relax. I've been there (thanks to perimenopause hormonal changes) with mammograms and consults and everything.

That would have been next, but the mammograms gave them all the info they needed - they took a lot more pictures than for a standard one, focusing on the denser, lumpy area. I pressed for and got another opinion by a breast cancer specialist, but it was overkill. even the tech could tell it was fine. Hormones can do a huge number on your b oobs, truly. I can relate to your anxiety, but try to rest easier on how common it is to develop cysts as you get older and due to pg hormones. It's not like these changes have come out of the thin blue; there is a good explanation for them. Go with it unless you find out otherwise which is very unlikely to be the case.

ETA: Hm, wait, there was a quick us right after all the mammogram photos in the next room, sorry - just remembered. It took 5 minutes, lol. That tech knew, too. :)

Well, I had the ultrasound this morning and all looked ok. They said it just looked like really dense breast tissue, likely due to the pregnancy. I will still follow-up with the doctor, but I feel much better now. And Kar, just like your experience, the tech could tell right away even before checking with the radiologist.

Just catching up... Memes, sorry you had to go through that! But happy to hear that it looks good.

I had a similar situation when DD was an infant. I do find that a lot of practitioners are big on "following" things for a year or two. So do not be worried if they want to "follow" you! It's just them being extra careful and wanting to be extra reassuring. I found it *less* reassuring, which really seemed to surprise my doctor when I told her that!

I thought I would chime in today. I had my 28 wk appointment this morning and my 1hr glucose tolerance testing. Now I start appointments every 2wks. I think one of the next two appointments is when we get to pick a date for our C-section. We are having a girl and DS has finally stopped telling us he "doesn't need a sister". Now he has moved to telling us all the things that he can do and his baby sister won't be able to do.

I know DH won't understand so I'll tell you ladies, for lunch I decided I would have a peanut butter and fluff sandwich, with extra fluff, just in case I get a call that I failed the 1hr test this morning :)

I seem to be gaining weight like it's my job. I weigh myself every day (I know, I just can't stop myself) and I've gained over 6lbs since Sunday. I've gained a little more than 20lbs total, which is all the weight the midwife told me to gain at my first appointment. I really don't get it. I don't feel swollen or anything so I don't think it's water. My wedding ring still fits, if that means anything. I sat down this morning and wrote down everything I've eaten this week. There are some good days and bad days. DH's birthday was this week, so there's been cake and stuff, but probably not 6lbs worth. I'm really upset about it.

chiclet... every woman's body handles pregnancy differently. I was not overweight before I got pregnant each time, but I gained like 45 lbs each time - and like you, did not look fat or swollen. I also lost over 30 lb by my 6 week post partum checkup without any effort. You have to work with your doctor but mine did not seem concerned since I was still working out (I worked out more my first since I did not have a toddler).

First pregnancy, I would get really envious of those women who talked about how they only gained like 15-20 lbs, but with both of my kids being really healthy, and I did not have any diabetes or BP issues, I just chalked it up to just the way I am. Since everything else consistently showed as being great and it was not like I was parked at a fast food restaurant, my doctor just said not to worry about it the first time, and second time - since it was the same exact pattern, we just ignored it. I have a 4 month old, and only like 5-6 pounds over the weight I was when I got pregnant with her - since I am nursing, I take a very conservative approach towards my weight, and focus on rest, getting fit when I am not down with yet another winter bug, and being sure I can keep up with nursing and yet I am still on a downwards trend, abeit very slow, with it.

Sugar does make you retain water much like sodium does, and you don't have to feel bloated to experience the water gain from it. The way you can find out is to drink at least 64 oz of water a day and sharply limit sugar and salt for two whole days. On the morning of day 3 you'll be as light as you can be post using the restroom.

During my preganacy I gain 1 to 4 pounds a month. I believe during week 20-24 I gain 9 pounds. I was shocked because my diet remained the same. I learned that it's common to have a month the you gain lots of weight during the 2nd tri. Good luck!

I gained a lot of weight when I was pregnant both times. I was normal weight when I got pregnant but gained 55 pounds with my first pregnancy and 50 pounds with my second. Both times I lost 30 pounds just in the first week after giving birth each time and was down to pre-pregnancy weight in 9 months with my first. I'm already back at prepregnancy weight at 7 months with my second. I think . One of my good friends was a little overweight when she started and she lost weight overall with the pregnancy and then lost more after! So it's possible to keept things under control. Of course, everything is a different shape/consistency afterwards but the weight can be managed at least haha.

I'm at 23 weeks. Had an appointment yesterday, and they gave me the whooping cough vaccine. Anyone else feel like vaccines while pregnant kick your butt? I felt achy and draggy for three days after getting a flu shot a few months back, and last night and today, my arm has been killing me and I am way more tired than I have been lately. Everything else is going really well, though. I feel him kicking and dancing around pretty consistently now, which is reassuring and fun at this point (not so sure I'll feel the same when he is actually big enough to hurt).

It's the way your body reacts because you're pregnant. Imagine how it would react to the real disease! The pertussis and tetanus vaccines made my arm hurt for over a week when I was pregnant with my first!

Thanks for the advice on the weight gain. I tried drinking more water and cutting back on processed sugars and got back to last week's weight in days. I guess I was retaining more fluid than I realized! I haven't been eating a lot of salt (it just doesn't taste good to me right now) but I didn't realize how much the sugar was hurting me. Good to know what my triggers are! I feel much better about it now!

Amy - DH got that vaccine last week too and he complained about his arm for a full two days after. Those tetanus shots hurt! I'm going to ask about getting one at my next appointment. I mistakenly thought you had to wait until after you deliver, but now I read that you can get it after 20 weeks. I made my dad get it too. (My mom is a nurse and already vaccinated as part of her job.) I want DH to ask his parents to get theirs too but I don't think he will. It's possible that they got theirs when our niece was born 2 years ago but I doubt it. I just feel weird asking my in-laws.

It's a non-stop dance party in my belly too! I don't know when this kid sleeps!

There is nothing wrong with insisting your in laws get the shots - if they want to see your newborn. We made that clear to my whole family and to DH's mother - if they want to come, they have to have the TDAP. (and it turned out, my parents doctor said it was really important for them to get it - not just because of the baby, but also because they would also be more likely to get really sick if they got whooping cough themselves). DH knew I would not bend on that issue, so he got on his mother's case about getting the shot. Whooping cough has made a comeback, and it does kill babies...

And if I recall, it takes a week or two for the shot to take effect, so you want them to get it *before* the baby is born, if they plan to be there from the start.

Happy update here! We had our 18w A/S last week and got to spend a good 45 minutes looking at our beautiful baby GIRL dancing around. Everything looked perfect, and we were over the moon! We went out and bought some super cute baby clothes afterwards to celebrate. I am breathing so much easier now, and I went ahead and have told a bunch more people (friends and colleagues) about this pregnancy now. 1 more week and we're halfway there!